Running for any political office is exactly like a horse race, however why is it that the
contenders are, for the most part, always the back half of the horse???

True, the job description of an elected official is to vote as a representative of his or her constituents in legislative assemblies, but there is an overarching duty to the process itself that should supercede that.

For better or worse, the position of president comes with immense influence over the future of your nation. It’s not terribly unfounded to suggest that the more qualified candidates exist within the nomination pool, the better the country’s chances ofending up with good nominees. By participating in a run for a nomination (and, hopefully, the presidency), a senator/congressman/postal worker can contribute to the democratic process in a more useful way than the one vote they wield on the floor of a legislative body.

The harm in not being in assembly is further diminished by the fact that rarely does a resolution stand or fall by virtue of a single vote. If such was the case, it would likely be predictable days, or even weeks, before the actual vote took place. A candidate could return to legislature from the campaign trail to resolve such an unlikely exigency.

I would also suggest that the harm in penalizing public officials for participating in the presidential horse race is greater than the harm in allowing them to evade a strict reading of their job description. Having experience in government would likely be an asset in what is probably your government’s most influential role. To prohibit public officials from holding their post while running for president would increase the already-significant risk assumed in such an attempt. This could easily dissuade presidential hopefuls from ever moving beyond hopeful daydreams.

Running for public office can not be so easily compared to hunting for a new job in the private sector. The imperative to make the strongest possible contribution to the democratic process irrevocably shifts the ethical calculus of a mid-term presidential run away from that of job hunting on your boss’s dime.

True, not every candidate is the best possible choice, but there is more to gain by allowing qualified candidates to throw their political hat into the ring than there is to lose by a one-vote change on the senate floor.

Re Hunter: The error is his for thinking anybody wanted him in the race in the first place.

Meanwhile. . .

“Past behavior is an indicator of future performance.”

What’s a standing president campaigning for? Unless, like Bush, who, while holding his current job, has been campaigning for his next — ruler of the earth (or at least, its oil fields).

I always admired Bob Dole for resigning from the senate when he ran for prez.

Jeff

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At the moment, there’s a gaggle of politicians who have jobs — important jobs — who are running around the country looking for a new job — to be president. And none of their current employers seems to be complaining all that loudly. They should…